Information about books for Children/Tweens/YA, with a little bit of writing thrown in. Explore new books. Discover new authors. Uncover pieces of an author's life. All with a focus on getting Young Readers to read and write more.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Meet YA Author R. M ArceJaeger

R.M. ArceJaeger is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author and a second prize winner in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award. In 2005, she was named a California Arts Scholar for excellence in Creative Writing, and she possesses a bachelor degree in Computer Science and a master degree in Education. Though she has written for many different genres over the years, she particularly enjoys penning books that reimagine classic tales.

Why did you pick to write books for Young Adults?

I love to write for Young Adults because I love to read books written for Young Adults. There is a freedom in YA that is lacking in both Children’s and Adult literature. A children’s book is limited in the themes and detail it is allowed to express, whereas an adult book is almost always expected to portray the stark realities of life (even in a fantasy genre). Young Adult fiction, on the other hand, has no real boundaries. One can write about practically any topic, and it is accepted---even at times encouraged---to present the world the way one wants it to be, rather than the way it actually is. I love the escapism Young Adult fiction provides.

What types of books do you like to read?

I adore reading books that create a world I want to be a part of. How I wish I could be a student at Hogwarts, or sit astride the back of a dragon of Pern! The fantastic and impossible draw me to them like a moth to flame. I love adventures that transcend our knowledge of the world and what we deem possible in it.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

When I’m not writing, I work as a computer programmer developing apps for Android. Between those two careers, I don’t have a lot of spare time, but the little I do, I love to spend going dancing (ballroom and Latin are my favorite), reading, and watching superhero TV shows.

Tell us about The Enchanted Rose and how the story came to be.

The Enchanted Rose merges the tales of Beauty and the Beast & Sleeping Beauty into a single story. I got the idea for the book during the summer of my sophomore year in college. To my family’s surprise, I chose to decline a Microsoft internship in favor of traveling to Costa Rica to work as an unpaid teacher. While I was there, I happened to attend a street faire and came across a booth that was selling hard-covered notebooks for only $2 each. There were just two books left, and I bought them both on the spot. Their covers were dark blue and extremely durable, and the white pages inside were just begging to be written on. I have never felt so inspired by a book in my life, and I spent the next few days trying to come up with an idea worthy of penning within those pages. It so chanced that shortly thereafter, I was watching an old version of Beauty and the Beast on YouTube, and I began to muse about how the rose was so central to the story, and yet no reason was ever given for its importance. My thoughts turned to other fairy tales where a rose was featured, such as Sleeping Beauty (Briar Rose), and then inspiration struck. What if—what if!—those two tales were really the same story. What if Briar Rose and the girl from Beauty and the Beast were really the same person? Thus, The Enchanted Rose was born.

Here's a peek at The Enchanted Rose:

Two Kingdoms. One Curse.

The birth of the kingdom's heir should have been a cause for celebration, but greed and revenge bring about a powerful curse, one that leaves Nathar's royal family grieving over the death of their daughter and another family struggling to cope with their son's transformation into a horrible beast. Yet there is more to this curse than anyone suspects . . .

From the #1 Bestselling author of Robin: Lady of Legend comes an
incredible new novel that weaves the tales of Beauty and the Beast &
Sleeping Beauty into a single, seamless story. Witty and romantic, The
Enchanted Rose still incorporates the darker elements found in the
original tales---abandonment, captivity, and true evil. Full of
well-developed characters and delightful world-building, this fresh take
is a delightful treat for both adults and youngsters alike. For anyone
who has ever loved fairy tales, The Enchanted Rose is a novel not to be
missed!

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

I have had a lot of requests to write a sequel to Robin: Lady of Legend, so I hope to start penning one soon. I also have a novel about Peter Pan in the works, and one day I want to continue Liliath’s story (from The Enchanted Rose).

What advice do you have for other authors?

Find something that makes you want to write. For me, it was a beautiful, blue hardcover notebook that made me want to write The Enchanted Rose. For Robin: Lady of Legend, it was watching yet another Robin Hood movie that didn’t seem to add anything new to the existing mythology. Find something that gets your blood up, that makes you want to write and write, and then hold it close to your heart until your story is done.Anything else you want readers to know?

I love to get feedback from my readers, and I read every review that is posted on Amazon. In addition, readers can contact me via my website.Where can readers find you and your books?

Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend

Author Shout

Historical Novel Society

Find Me on Authors Den

About Me

I’m a retired high school English teacher. A devourer of books growing up, my profession introduced me to writings and authors from times long past. Through my studies and teaching, I fell in love with the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. Now, I hope to inspire young readers and those Young-at-Heart to read more through my Tales and Legends for Reluctant Readers set in these worlds.
I also conduct Medieval Writing Workshops for local elementary/middle schools.